The Cusp
by Nevcrux
Summary: At the Plateau, so close he could almost taste victory, but then... One-Shot
1. Chapter 1

First Sentence Prompt: The attack was over in seconds.

Further prompt: Pokemon Championship, Death

The attack was over in seconds. At least that was what it felt like to James. Every breath hurt and tear tracks shone through his grime covered face. Around him lay his friends, his family, his Pokemon. They were all gone now, crushed or burnt by whoever it was that had attacked him.

James glanced weakly over at the body of his Arcanine, Growly. Growly had been with him from the start, his first Pokemon. He had had to leave him behind when fleeing his parents the first time and after reuniting had promised to never leave him behind again.

A broken chuckle escaped his throat, fingers weakly reaching out and rubbing the fluffy white mane. "I kept my promise Growly, I didn't leave you behind. You left me, though…"

Slowly his eyes wandered away to the remnants of Weezing. So many memories of smokescreens that had helped in his Team Rocket days filled his mind and this time it was a bitter chuckle that escaped his lips.

"You were with me since I joined up and I couldn't have asked for a better partner in crime, buddy." James said softly, a little blood leaking from the corner of his mouth and on to the ground.

Next was his grass types. Canea, Carnivine, and Victreebell lay together in a charred pile, the smoking remains smelling mockingly sweet. James looked on with a smile, only seeing them as they had been, whole and unharmed.

"I loved you all." More didn't need to be said before James' eyes wandered to the last two, the ones that had brought him joy, and brought his life a new meaning.

Chimecho and Mime Jr. were lying almost next to him, having held out the longest in the brutally short attack. Both had bled out, unable to save the others, or it seemed James himself. He moved his arm and pulled them to his chest, kissing each of their heads and ignoring the blood that was left behind from the action.

Memories of how he had taken them with him, left Team Rocket and went through an entire League worth of Gym battles with the two as his front line flooded him with happiness and greif. Thier lives, all of them, were just too short!

James slammed a fist into the ground and tilted his head back, thinking of how just a few short days ago he had started his first league, how he had swept the competition, how he had been so close to the prize that it _hurt_ just to think about it!

Slowly he leaned back and looked at the area, one by one using the Pokeballs to reclaim the fallen family members, the balls shrinking and turning gray as soon as he did so each and every time.

When it was all done, he put them all in a small pouch hanging about his neck that also contained a bottle cap. He fingered the fine silk material as his eyes hardened, getting up and only grunting as his broken ribs protested.

"They will pay for what they've done to you." James stated, calmly, eyes flashing like the darkest of storm clouds. He was staring at a rose left behind at the scene, sitting in one of the puddles of blood. "Team Rocket will pay."

Fin


	2. Chapter 2

First Sentence Prompt: He hadn't seen the old man since

 **So I got a few reviews and private messages asking me to keep going on this story. I figured I could keep it going, using the random generator I used for the first, and now we have Chapter 2.**

He hadn't seen the old man since before his team had met the twerp. The mere sight of him was enough to startle and bring a little rage into the emotionless mask he'd been wearing, as it was wont to whenever he saw a member of Team Rocket. The old bald man was smiling genially, a Vulpix following him as he talked with some children around what seemed to be his house.

James couldn't stand that happy expression and his hand curled into a fist. He had to resist the urge to go tear away that happiness like his own had been taken, but the children didn't deserve that. They were innocent and he would spare them the darkness that had taken over his life.

So he waited, and he watched. His last tip had been weeks ago but it was clear that Team Rocket was planning something in Lavender, so here he was. And it just so happened that here was someone else that he could identify by face.

James settled in for a long wait.

It was hours later that the children had left and Fuji was left alone. As alone as he could be with the multitude of Pokemon, that is. James was secretly impressed at the variety of small Pokemon that wandered around the area and it reminded him of his old days. He had rarely had a Pokemon larger than himself, and if he had it would try to eat him. James smiled ruefully at that before getting up and dusting his pants off.

"Dr. Fuji." He said grimly, not bothering to knock at the door.

Fuji started and spun fast, looking the intruder up and down. "Who are… wait, I recognize your hair, and that scar on your cheek. James?"

James was impressed, though his face stayed flat as he leaned back against the wall, arms crossed.

"So what brings Team Rocket here, doctor?" James asked. He saw the way that the old man twitched at the name and let scenarios wash through his mind. It was fully possible that Fuji jad left Team Rocket before even he had. In fact, from the way that the man jumped, it could only be that he had left, or he was surprised at his cover being blown.

James considered the lack of weapons near at hand and the defensive position that the older man had taken. Not even a hint of an offensive move or any move to any sort of hidden device. James knew they were smaller these days, but Team Rocket was woefully behind the times, still relying on the ponderously large distress beacons that most mobile times couldn't reliably take with them. So that implied that Fuji truly was an outsider.

"What are they going to try and do here?" Fuji questioned quietly, eyes narrowed. James could see the thoughts racing behind the man's eyes and was impressed. Though there was no masks, it was more than made up for by the fact that Fuji had already made and discarded at least three plans in the two seconds since he asked the question.

"They're going after something in the Tower. That's all I know, and al I've been able to pass on to the Jennies." James finally stated, deciding to give this man a bit more to work with.

Fuji's posture instantly relaxed and he even smiled a little, seeming to settle his ideas around a few plans. James knew that men that thought like that would never limit themselves to one. Then there was the light of realisation.

"The news has been quite interesting lately." Fuji said, voice casual but eyes shrewd and assessing.

"Why yes. Dozens of dangerous criminals being found outside of police stations beaten bloody and without a single Pokemon. I've heard the stories as well."

"They took my daughter from me." Fuji revealed quietly.

"They took my family from me."

It was three days later that Fuji turned on the TV and saw three dozen people dressed in black being rushed to a hospital and an Officer Jenny talking about how this incident had been done with full partnership of the Officers of Kanto.

Over the next week a lot of relief spread to the citizens who had worried about ending up outside a Police Station themselves. If the Jennies were on the side of whoever did it, that was practically a screaming endorsement.

Fuji thanks James in his head every day but not as much as the one when a Cubone dragged his mother into his small home to be treated for a few deep cuts the day after the Rockets had been taken away.


End file.
